Is the cigarette lighter needed?

[Dirk Laurie <dirk.laurie@...>]

My car had a cigarette lighter. It's not in its socket any more.
I never used it, since I don't smoke. I don't know where it is.
But the socket is still there.

The car's manual says:

This car provides a _lighter socket_, a pre-fitted power point that can
be used by any compliant device to draw power from the battery
whenever it needs to.

But is it _needed_?